hi everyone, happy new year

i am seeking advice on the best turntable/arm/cartridge (mm) to maximise the
music and minimise all kinds of surface noise - i understand some
combinations of cartridge/arm/turntable show up noise less than others?

my max budget (less is better) is £1000 total either new or s/h

i am replacing a thorens td150mk2 sme 3009 ii (detachable headshell not
improved) and ortofon om20

any help would be valued



thanks

david

In article , david weale
wrote:
hi everyone, happy new year

i am seeking advice on the best turntable/arm/cartridge (mm) to maximise
the music and minimise all kinds of surface noise - i understand some
combinations of cartridge/arm/turntable show up noise less than others?

The problem, I fear, is that what gives optimal results from one LP may not
always do so for another. However...

Having a larger contact area may reduce the total noise, but this in turn
may affect other things like the distortion and frequency response. Having
a 'tall and thin' contact shape may counter this to some extent, but makes
you more sensitive to surface noise at a wider range of 'depths' in the
groove, etc.

The snag is that IIUC there is no guarantee that all LPs will actually have
been made from original lacquers with precisely the same cutting details.
Iain can probably explain this in far more detail than myself. Similarly,
the state of the stamper and how it was made may affect this.

Beyond that, getting a cartridge, arm, and *speakers* that have minimal
resonances/colourations may make the noise less audible.

Below a given level I'm afraid the surface noise has a component that is
introduced by the physical act of cutting, etc, so there is a limit even of
your reply system is optimised. Again, where this level may be will depend
on how carefully the LP was produced.

my max budget (less is better) is £1000 total either new or s/h

i am replacing a thorens td150mk2 sme 3009 ii (detachable headshell not
improved) and ortofon om20

The Ortofon's have a good reputation, but I can't comment on them myself as
I haven't used them.

FWIW I tend to use the Shure V15/III with an HE stylus shape. (Nominally.)
However I found that the biggest drop in the audibility of surface noise
occurred when:

1) I started using Quad ESL speakers. These meant I no longer noticed the
'colouration' which I find makes noise more noticable. The noise level does
not really fall, just become less noticable.

2) Changed to mainly listen to CD-A. :-)

Slainte,

Jim

--
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html

A Rega Planar 3 that I used to have many years ago (around 1980) had
extremely low surface noise with a few different cartridges, much better
than the Linn Sondek Valhalla + Ittok +3 different moving coils that
replaced it in 1981, although the Linn did sound better (still sounds
great).


"david weale" wrote in message
...
hi everyone, happy new year

i am seeking advice on the best turntable/arm/cartridge (mm) to maximise
the music and minimise all kinds of surface noise - i understand some
combinations of cartridge/arm/turntable show up noise less than others?

my max budget (less is better) is £1000 total either new or s/h

i am replacing a thorens td150mk2 sme 3009 ii (detachable headshell not
improved) and ortofon om20

any help would be valued



thanks

david

One of you may be interested.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tem=5742734304

Cheers

Lee

Some one may have a 99 Pre in need of a cd player.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tem=3865622431

Cheers

Lee